The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-04-19
.rk Twain Explores a New Legend
of the Round Table.

4 recent IuOutuAN SUOS OF the
w4ilitary Service Institution on Gov
errors Island was made entertaining
by Mark Twain. who read a paper.
the announcement Of which caused
the thronging of the old museum
hall. Gen. W. T. Sherman and Gen.
Sahofeld were present. Gen. James
B. Fry presided
Mr.. Clemens said that which he
WAS about to read was part of 8 still
uncompleted book. OF which he would
give the first chapter by way of ex
PLANTATION. and follow 1t with selected
fragments. s'or outline the resi- of 1t
, In bulk, so to speak; do as the COW
boy admonished MS spiritual adviser
to do. lust leave out the details. and
heaye in the bottom facts. "
Mr.. Clemens story Is the autoblog
apply of Sir Robert Smith OF Came
Tot. one Of King Arthur's knights,
formerly q manufacturer OF Hartford.
Conn. Robert Smith says Of him
self:
I am Yankee Of the Yankees, 4
practical man. nearly barren Of sent
ment or poetry-in other words my
father was 1 blacksmith. my uncle
vas a horse doctor. and l was both.
Then l went over 10 the great arms
factory and learned my real trade
learned to make everything, guns, re
-solvers, cannon. boilers. engines, elec
trio machines, anything. IN short,
that&anybody wanted anywhere in
the world. $ I became head
boss and had 1000 men under me.
Well. man like that Is full OF fight
\ THAT goes without saying. With
1900 rough men under one. one has
\ plenty Of that sort OF amusement
4 We'll. at last / met my match; /
got my dose. Ii was during q mis-
understanding conducted with iron
crowbars with 8 fellow We used 10
call Hercules He laid me out with
a erusher alongside the head that
made everything crack, and seemed
TO make every Joint OF my skull lap
over on Its neighbor. and then the
world went out IN darkness. and l
felt nothing more. knew nothing
more for Q while. and when l came 70
again l was standing under an oak
tree. and the factory was goEe.
standing under an oak tree on the
grass with a beautiful broad country.
q landscape spread out before me, all
to myself. No. not quite, not en-
tirely to myself. There was 8 fellow
oBAs horse looking down at me-a
fellow fresh out Of q picture book.
He was IN old time armor from his
head TO his heel. He had 3 helmet
On like g cheese box. with Sits in 1t.
and he carried q shield and q sword
and prodgious spear. And his
, horse had armor on. too. and gorgeous
+, silken trappings, red and green. that
hung around him ike 3 bedgown TO
tbs ground. And this apparition
saie 10 me:
Fair sir, viii you joust2
said l: VIII l wnieh?'
~sWin you ioust2 VIII YOU break
q lance for land or lady2'
said l: What are YOU giving me2
4-u so along back 70 your circus. or
II report you.
Sow what does this fellow DO bur
fall back q couple Of hundred yards
and then come fitting al me. Is hard
Is he could drive. MS cheese box
down close and his long spear point
ing straight az me. l saw he meant
business, 50 1 was up the tree when
be arrived. Well. he allowed l was
his property; the captive Of his spear.
Well. there was argument on his side
and the bulk Of the advantage, 50 [
Judged it best 10 humor him. and we
liked up an agreement. l was 10 so
along with him. and be wasn't to
hurt me. So 1 came down and we
started away, 1 walking by the side
Of his horse. and We marched com
f0ASbly along through glades and
over brooks that I could not remem-
Der to have seen before. 1t puzzled
me ever so much, and yet we didn't
come TO any circus. or any sign Of
circus, 50 ! gave up the idea OF CIR
j Gus. and concluded he was from an
asylum But We never came 10 any
asylum, so was up g stump. as you
may say"
And so the two wander on together.
and amid scenes Of human life that
| afford the author many opportunities
for quaint philosophic contrasts and
j, dry humor. until they come 10 Came
LOT. 10 the court Of King Arthur
4 Fanciful and curious are the rehec-
N GOnsN the transposed Yankee about
i that lsce-which he al first thinks
must be the asylum-in its country
g soft reposeful summer landscape.
as lovely as dream and lonesome as
(. Sunday; where the air was full OF the
! smell Of flowers and the bGzzing Of
insects and the twittering Of birds,
'lean6 there were no people OF wagons
] Or life or anything going on.
Very wildly he poruays the scene
at Csmelot swhere King Arthur. with
his knights, sits At q round table as